A/N: This is a short multi-chapter story that envisions an alternative ending, or perhaps a future glimpse, into the lives of original characters Finley, Declan, Nikko and Michail after the events of For Loyalty and Revenge. This story and these characters will make more sense if you have read For Loyalty and Revenge.
This features just the original characters. If you want to see how they fit in the Plum universe check out their story.
If you are a diehard Declan fan, this may not be the story for you. This is for those of you (like me) that needed a little more Michail.
This story is really just smut, smut, and well more smut, so you have been forewarned.
This is the first story in the Dark Magic Series. The Dark Magic Series can be found on Archive of Our Own under Peritales.
Maybe a Tomorrow
Chapter One
Finley felt Nikko's strong, muscular arm wrap around her bare midriff and her breath hitched. She knew what was coming next. She could feel Nikko's hard body pressed up against her backside. His heat was seeping into her, overheating her. His skin, slicked with sweat, magnifying the sensations. His exertion intensifying his uniquely male scent that drifted and danced around her. Finley swallowed hard and tried to focus and clear her mind. To find a thread of sanity instead of being swept away by the sensations pulsing through her body. There was nothing soft about Nikko as he wrapped around her and pushed her down. His intentions clear.
Finley twisted a little and ended up on top of him, straddling him. She saw the oh so wicked smile he gave her. What he wanted was written all over his face, and her breath caught in her throat. She could feel the hard muscles of his legs pressing her inner thighs apart, even as she resisted, knowing it was futile. Her legs trembled from the effort to stay together. She could feel everything about him. The raw power, the sheer maleness of him. The ripple of muscles between her legs as she straddled him, the tickle of his hair on her overheated sensitive flesh. Her breath was coming in quick pants and her heart was pounding as she struggled for control. She knew she wouldn't be on top for long. Nikko was a man that like to dominate. To be in control.
Her hands splayed across his bare sweat slicked chest, up to the corded muscled in his neck. She felt the slightest change as he telegraphed his intentions, flipping her on her back, coming to rest between her legs as he let his full weight press into her. She gasped with surprise at the sudden change in fortunes. His face buried in the crook of her neck.
Her breath was coming in great heaving pants and her pulse was racing. The muscles in her stomach quivering, and her legs felt like jelly. She knew he could feel all of that as he pressed down on her. Finley slid her hand down his flank and around to his back. The small of his back was slick with sweat, but Nikko's breathing was even. He'd barely exerted himself yet. She smiled into his shoulder, when she heard his velvet voice whisper next to her ear. Goosebumps pimpled her flesh, and a little shiver went through her.
"You're still having trouble with that butterfly guard move." Nikko sat back on his haunches and looked down on her.
Finley felt a little rivulet of sweat trickle down her neck and rest in the hollow of her throat. How was it that she was completely wiped out and he wasn't even winded?
"I know." She blew out a frustrated breath.
Nikko stood up offering her a hand and pulling her up as well.
Finley looked down at her leg. She could already see the bruise starting to form. "Dammit Nikko, I'm going to have another bruise."
"I know Fin, but the guys you will be fighting won't care if they give you a bruise or not, so I'm not going to take it easy on you. You need to train for real-life, not some sparring session at the gym."
Finley just wrinkled her nose and gave Nikko some serious side eye. Nikko was right, but then when was he not. Still with all her bruises, she figured someone would think she was being beaten. Then again, they weren't too far off. Nikko worked her hard, pushed her limits. Blew right through them most days, and pushed her towards new ones. He was an amazing teacher.
"Your size is your single biggest disadvantage. If an opponent gets you on your back on the ground, we have to make sure you can get away."
Finley nodded. "I know. Let's go again."
Nikko gave a negative shake of his head. "No, you're too tired. You need a little recovery. We'll keep working on it. You'll get it."
Finley wasn't so sure that was true. Nikko had been training her in Krav Maga and other mixed martial arts for a year now. Nikko taught her proper technique and how to fight dirty if she had to. Because, as Nikko pointed out, in the real world there were no referees. After Finley had been kidnapped last year, Nikko had insisted she have training. It was a condition of her employment with his company NNS Global. Finley had eagerly agreed. After what had happened, she wanted to be better prepared not only to defend herself, but not freeze up in a crisis. Certainly, her skills were better than a year ago, but she still needed a lot of work.
Finley snorted. "And here I thought you would want to go again. You seem to like it, and you clearly like being on top."
Their eyes locked and an arc of electricity and awareness went between them. Oh shit, that had come out all kinds of wrong and about fifty shades of awkward. Finley felt her face flame red. Damn that pale skin of hers. It wasn't like her reaction was lost on Nikko.
His lip was quirked up and he was staring at her. Suddenly the heat in her body had nothing to do with exertion.
"I meant you like to be in charge. To be dominant." She mumbled.
Shit that wasn't any better. Now it sounded like she wanted to be submissive and yield to his dominance. Her thoughts immediately went to all the wrong places, and now that she thought about it, the idea had some appeal. She wouldn't have thought it was possible, but she was pretty sure the red flush staining her cheeks had deepened. She decided silence was her better option as she blushed and toed the floor, unable to meet his eyes.
She knew where Nikko's thoughts had gone. They were echoing so loud in the room; he may as well have been touching her. Her body was certainly reacting as if he had. She felt her nipples pebble and strain against the sports bra. There was no way anyone could miss that. An involuntary tingle worked its way down her spine.
She and Nikko had this crazy attraction to each other, they always had from the first time they met. They felt like kindred spirits. He got her and she got him, but there had also been a fair amount of heat between them. Nikko was a bad boy, but he was definitely her favorite mistake. One she had, on occasion, considered repeating.
But Nikko was currently in a relationship, and she was sort of in one, so they worked to keep their attraction boxed up. Not to mention, Nikko had some crazy notion that she was too young for him, which seemed absurd considering Nikko was younger than Declan, and she and Declan had been dating for a year.
But whatever the reason, Nikko was a friend, a mentor, an employer and that is where this stayed.
"Besides." Nikko's velvet voice brushed over her causing the tingle in her body to settle between her thighs. Nikko's voice always sounded like pure sex. She figured he could talk just about anybody into anything with that voice. "You have that celebration with your team this evening."
Finley wondered just how Nikko knew about that, and how he could make something so benign sound dirty and sinful. Of course, maybe it wasn't Nikko's voice that was making it that way. Maybe it was her own thoughts, which she forcefully wrestled back under control. Not happening now, and probably not ever.
Finley rolled her eyes. She had just finished her first year of law school. The year everybody said was the hardest. Her study group was meeting to celebrate. "I'm not going to that."
"Why not?"
"I don't have anything in common with those people. All they talk about is their rowing teams or lacrosse or where they are interning this summer. What yacht their daddy bought." Disgust tinging her voice. "I don't really fit in. Besides it's not like I can really talk about what I do, so I just sit there and look weird. I think they think I work at a bookstore or something."
Nikko sincerely doubted the boys, or men he guessed. They all just seemed so soft he thought of them as boys, but they weren't. Most were older than Finley. In any event, he doubted any of the so-called men in that study group thought she looked weird. He'd seen how they watched her. Besides those men were future power players, and knowing them would be a good thing.
"You have that great internship this summer. You have something to talk about." Nikko's voice was soft. He understood how hard it could be to feel normal, especially when you lived on the fringe of society.
"That's true. So that takes up five minutes, what about the other two hours." Finley made a derisive sound.
Stephanie had introduced Finley to her friend Senator Lashley and told the Senator about Finley's work on the human trafficking task force. When the Senator had learned Finley was in law school, she'd introduced Finley to some of her lawyer friends. Finley had gotten a summer internship at a very prestigious law firm.
A big win for sure. When she graduated, she would need two summers of legal work for job hunting and this really gave her a leg up. Not to mention the contacts would be invaluable. It was possible she might even get a job there after she graduated. Finley had been very grateful to Stephanie and the Senator for the help. Stephanie had been really supportive of school, and had worked to find ways for Finley to stay involved with the task force without cutting into her school work or the work she did with Nikko.
Finley's work with Nikko was more ad hoc. He used her when he needed her or when he thought there was something she might really be interested in. Nikko had made it clear that school came first.
"Declan made me promise that I would make sure you went. He thinks you spend too much time with deviants like us." Nikko was trying to suppress a grin.
"Declan made you promise?" Finley's eyebrow went up showing just how skeptical she was of that story. Declan was out of town for the week. It wasn't long, but she still missed him. A little stab when through her gut, but she chose to ignore it.
"Cross my heart." Nikko gave her that boyishly rogue grin that transformed him. Her heart gave a little stutter. Nikko was beautiful, she'd give him that. All those sharp, sculpted angles of his face, framed by dark silky hair that almost begged to be touched. Those magical amber eyes of his framed by the darkest, thickest lashes she'd ever seen, and those wonderfully lush lips that could be sensual and inviting one minute and stern and demanding the next. Both of which could make her pulse quicken.
Finley couldn't help but smile back. "But I like to hang out with you, even if you are a deviant." And, that was true. She liked hanging out with Nikko and his girlfriend Kate, when Kate was around.
Although Kate didn't hang out with them all that much. She had a busy schedule at the hospital and Finley always suspected Kate thought she shared Nikko with way too many people already. Of course, right now Kate was in India helping with the emerging humanitarian crisis from the pandemic, so Nikko was on his own, which tended to be a very dangerous proposition. She knew it worried Nikko that Kate was so far away, but she also knew he respected Kate's decision to go. Finley could tell Nikko missed Kate.
"I know Fin, but you need to hang out with people your own age that have a common interest with you. Those contacts might come in handy someday. Even if they are uptight boring twits." Nikko allowed.
Finley rolled her eyes, searching for a suitable excuse. "I would, but I don't have anything to wear. It's at some private club that one of the guy's father belongs to. Dinner jackets and cocktail dresses are required."
It wasn't that Finley didn't have some nice clothes, she did, and she had at least one cocktail dress that would work. The one Michail Petrov had given her, but the truth was she didn't really want to go. Besides she'd never worn that dress again, and didn't really want to. Not since her sort of date with Michail that had been cut short. It reminded her about too many things that had happened, and too many things that hadn't.
"Funny, you should say that. I just happen to have bought you a present."
"A present." Finley warily asked. Nikko's presents tended to be things like knives and throwing stars.
"Umm hmm. A dress." Nikko confirmed.
"You bought me a dress?" She was looking at Nikko like he'd lost his damn mind, which it was entirely possible he might have. What did Nikko know about women's clothes anyway? Finley was sure he was adept at getting women undressed, but dressing them seemed a bit of a stretch.
"I did love. A very nice dress." Nikko looked like he was a little offended that Finley didn't think he was capable of buying her a dress.
"And why would you do that?" Finley was eyeing him suspiciously.
"Because I knew you would say you didn't have anything to wear. Use it as an excuse." Nikko was giving her a pointed look. Finley gave a little inward sigh. The problem with Nikko knowing her, was he really knew her, and sometimes that was just maddening.
"Fine, then I'll put it on and you can take me out to celebrate." Finley challenged. Finley would much rather spend the evening with Nikko than a bunch of pretentious twits.
"We will celebrate, but not tonight. Now go shower and get dressed. I'll drop you at the club." Nikko's voice didn't broker any room for dissent.
Nikko was a little afraid his idea of a celebration right now, would be taking that dress off Finley. He needed to get himself under control before they went out to celebrate. Nikko would like to pretend that he was immune to her sweat slicked, barely dressed body writhing underneath him, but he wasn't. Nikko was, in fact, a man.
A fact he'd been wrestling to control for several minutes, as she stood there hands on her hips breathing hard, her skin glistening with sweat. Those perfect breasts thrust out heaving with each ragged breath, bringing back some very vivid memories. The last thing he needed to do was embarrass them both or do something that might screw up his relationship with Kate. He'd done plenty of that already.
Nikko had never equated sex and love. Really given his past, how could he. Nikko wasn't that naïve. He knew sometimes sex was just a transaction. Then again, Nikko also wasn't that jaded. He knew Kate felt differently and he respected that. So, Nikko did his best to conform. He never wanted to disappoint Kate, well not more than he already had. Granted sometimes his thoughts were not always pure, but he worked to make sure his actions didn't follow suit.
Something he had struggled with, especially when it came to Finley. He wasn't really sure why. There was the obvious answer. She was gorgeous, with that riot of long flame red hair and those glorious emerald eyes. She was a woman that men stopped and stared at, but that wasn't it. Nikko knew a lot of beautiful women, but few had ever affected him the way she had. Besides Natasha and Kate, Finley was it, and sometimes that was damn inconvenient.
From the moment he'd met her, he'd been inexplicably drawn to her. Something about her called to him, soothed him. She was a lot like Natasha that way. Maybe wounded and broken people always gravitated to each other, because their jagged pieces fit together to make a whole. Nikko didn't really know. Maybe if there was no Kate in his life and he was a few years younger, he might consider a relationship with her. But he wasn't, so their relationship had to remain squarely in the friend's column.
Nikko was in love with Kate, and Finley was off limits, and that was the end of that story. He and Finley were in a good place, and he didn't plan to mess that up either. He enjoyed spending time with her, and as long as he didn't do anything stupid, it worked. Granted some days not doing something stupid, was a whole lot easier than other days.
Despite the fact hanging out with her tonight held a lot of appeal, Finley really did need to cultivate relationships with people other than a bunch of mercenaries and mobsters. Declan was right about that. Finley still had a shot at normal, even though Nikko suspected her past was darker than she had ever let on. Nikko figured the story with her stepdad was worse than she led people to believe. In Nikko's experience, crazy always recognized crazy, and they were definitely kindred spirits.
Finley worked part-time at NNS Global and she also did work with the task force. Obviously, the confidential nature of those jobs prohibited her from talking about them. Nikko knew that was hard. She did all this amazing work, and yet she had to let a bunch of rich entitled kids think her life was boring. Finley could have been on the rowing team or played lacrosse, but Finley chose to spend her time cultivating other skills and helping people.
Nikko also knew her relationship, or whatever it was, with Declan was hard. She couldn't talk about it or even let anyone know it existed. She had to let a bunch of spoiled brats think she didn't have a boyfriend. It wasn't like she could go around telling people she dated the head of the Irish mafia. It wasn't that Finley was unacquainted with the challenges of that life, she'd grown up in it. But still, it could be isolating. Nikko figured eventually they'd go public, but not until Finley agreed to actually have a relationship with Declan. Move in with him and accept a security detail. Once she did that, her life would change dramatically, her freedom to move about freely would be gone. Nikko didn't blame her for taking her time to decide if that is what she really wanted. Until then, Finley and Declan were each other's dirty little secret.
Nikko knew that was one of the things Declan worried about. Being with him was robbing her of a life she deserved and maybe even wanted. He worried she would regret it later. Nikko didn't think Finley would regret a relationship with him for that reason, but he did think something was going on with the two of them. They clearly enjoyed each other and Declan doted on her, but there was a growing distance between them lately. Nikko had a bad feeling he knew the reason, and it didn't have anything to do with law school.
"You're an asshole Nikko." Finley's voice interrupted his thoughts. There was no heat in Finley's words, she'd said them good naturedly.
Nikko smiled. "Yes, but we both know it is one of my better traits. Besides I know you love me, and you can never say no to me." Nikko winked at her.
Finley blew out an exaggerated breath. "Alright, I'll go. Because you are right. I never could say no to you."
Nikko was right on both counts. Finley could never say no to Nikko, and she probably did love him just a little. And with Nikko, she was always afraid that was a little bit of the problem. That and maybe she didn't really want to say no. There wasn't much she wouldn't do for him. If this would make him happy, then she'd go.
Nikko took her by the shoulders, turned her around, and pushed her towards the locker room. He pushed her through the door and headed off towards the men's showers.
"And Fin." He called to her. "For the record. I do like it. I like where I end up and I like to be on top."
Finley's mouth went dry and she scurried off to the women's showers. She told herself that was purely a statement of fact and not a sexual innuendo. Nikko was dominant and he liked to win. He was just taunting her for losing to him again. That's what he meant. Right? Don't mess with Nikko, she reminded herself. That was inviting trouble that she didn't need.
Finley stood under the hot spray in the shower, letting it ease her aching muscles. She wondered just how many new bruises she was going to have. It felt like a few, but it had been a good training session and workout. It had also been what she needed to keep her mind off of Declan.
Finley had never been one for relationships until she met Declan, and now she was considering it. They'd been dating for a year, and it had been great. They got on. Enjoyed the same things, and they enjoyed each other. Their time together had been easy and fun. She liked Declan. She might even love him. She just couldn't help but feel like he was holding something back. Holding a part of himself back. She couldn't help but wonder if it had something to do with Natasha.
Finley had seen Declan and Natasha that morning at NNS Global. She'd seen how he looked at her. She'd seen Natasha trace that damn bird tattoo over his heart. When Finley had asked about it, Declan had been vague, evasive even. He'd also been vague about Natasha. Sometimes she didn't think he even realized that he would absently rub that spot over his heart. Finley knew there was a lot more to that story, and a lot more between them than anybody had been willing to admit. Even Nikko was uncharacteristically mum on the subject.
Finley wasn't really interested in being a substitute for someone else, and sometimes she felt that way. Declan denied it, of course. He just said they had known each other when they were kids, but still walls went up around Declan every time she asked. It was clear he was protective of his thoughts, feelings, and memories of Natasha, whatever those were.
Finley told herself that was the reason she wouldn't tell him she loved him or move in with him. If he couldn't be open with her about his feelings, how could she trust him enough to take the next step. But Finley was terrified Declan wasn't the only one that was holding something back. Finley was terrified it had more to do with Michail Petrov than Declan.
Finley hadn't seen or heard from Michail in over a year. But that certainly didn't mean she didn't think about him, because she did. All the time. Sometimes she would be convinced she saw him on the street or she would get a little tingle at the base of her spine, like she felt him nearby. It was stupid. Michail was off doing what he needed to do. He probably never gave her a thought. Michail had, no doubt, moved on. And, she should too. There was nothing there, not really. What had been between them wasn't real, it had just been a byproduct of an intense situation.
She had a long history with the Petrovs. One of Michail's cousins, Ivan, had murdered her father. She'd been out for revenge against the Petrovs when she had met Michail. He'd been a means to an end, but his decency had surprised her. She had been kidnapped and almost killed by the Petrovs. There was so much bad blood between her family and the Petrovs it was scary.
But Michail had taken a bullet for her. He had stood up for her when it mattered. She figured that had to count for something. With Ivan's death, she'd put the past behind her, but it still didn't change the fact she was an Irish mafia kid and Michail was the head of the Petrov family bratva. There weren't too many combinations that were any more combustible and deadly than that.
So what if Michail was brilliant, beautiful, and scorching hot. So what that she was drawn to him like a moth to a flame, and she didn't even care that the flames were licking at her skin, just as long as she could be close to him. So what if she stayed awake at night thinking about him. Craving him even though she knew he would destroy her. They would destroy each other. They were both so flawed and damaged. All those sharp corners and jagged edges. He would be the rock she bashed against and broke apart. She knew it, and she just didn't care because it was his face she saw in her dreams.
Finley had tried to get over him. Tried to forget him, and pretend like she didn't feel what she was feeling. Because what she was feeling wasn't logical, and it certainly wasn't practical. She didn't know him.
She was under no illusion that Michail felt the same way, she was sure he didn't. They had one moment at the hospital. A moment born from circumstance, not truth. They had both been overwhelmed with events. No one fell in love instantly. It just didn't happen.
He'd bought her a car, paid for school. Maybe in his mind he'd paid his debt to her. He was free and clear. Finley hadn't heard from him since that day, and that probably should tell her everything she really needed to know.
What she needed to do was let the crazy notion of Michail go. Michail shouldn't be the reason that she was holding herself back from a relationship with Declan. Declan was an amazing man, but maybe Declan wasn't the right guy for her, and she should move on. Maybe Declan had too much baggage. Maybe she didn't want that life. Those were all things she would have to figure out. But it shouldn't be because of Michail, because that was not real. Michail's allure was simply the fact he was the road not taken. That was it, because the reality could never live up to the fantasy.
Or maybe, she was just destined to fall in love with things she couldn't have. To forever be grasping and reaching, only to have what she wanted slip through her fingers. Destined to wonder what might have been, and never fully knowing. She felt tears of frustration and regret burn her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. Nikko was off limits, Michail was just an illusion, and Declan was emotionally unavailable. She sure knew how to pick them. There were plenty of things in life to cry over, and men were not on that list. Finley didn't cry over men.
Finley grabbed the body wash and started running her hands over her body, lathering up trying to pretend she didn't want it to be Michail's hands touching her, exploring her. That she couldn't feel desire building low in her belly like it always did when she thought of him. God, she was pathetic.
She had rinsed off and just grabbed the shampoo to start washing her hair when she heard Nikko's velvet voice call to her. She almost jumped out of her skin. She felt guilty like he knew her thoughts. That he knew she was in the shower turned on, touching herself. He may as well have caught her spread eagle on the kitchen floor the way she reacted. Thank god he couldn't actually see her.
"Come on Fin, you can't stay in the shower all day. You'll be late."
"Jesus Nikko, you need to learn some boundaries." Finley snapped.
Nikko just laughed. "I have love, that is why I'm out here, and not in the shower with you. Five minutes."
Nikko had a fair point, but Finley couldn't help but groan. Nikko's statement had done nothing to make her any less hot and bothered. Now she was having visions of Nikko naked in the shower with her. She was one giant raging hormone today. Maybe that's what happened when Declan left her alone for a week. Maybe she needed therapy or a date with her battery-operated boyfriend. Yeesh.
Finley heard Nikko leave. Five minutes? Five minutes or what? Did he plan to come in the shower with her? As tempting as that thought might be, it was definitely a bad idea. And, it was always a bad idea to test Nikko or disobey him. She knew that one from experience. Finley was done in three minutes. She wrapped her hair in a towel and wrapped a second towel around her body.
She poked her head out. No Nikko. That was good.
Nikko was waiting for her in the dressing area. He had a garment bag with him and some arnica gel to help with the bruises that were starting to bloom all over her body.
He unzipped the garment bag and pulled out the dress. It was gorgeous. Finley reached out and touched it. The material was deep purple and whisper soft to the touch. It had a one-shoulder neckline and an asymmetrical skirt. The dress draped in soft gatherings on the hip and was secured with a jeweled clasp.
"It's stunning. Thank you." Finley gushed. Nikko had some damn fine taste. Apparently, Nikko knew a lot about women's clothes that went way beyond just taking them off.
Nikko motioned for her to sit at the dressing area. He was looking at her in the mirror.
"You look tense. Is there anything I can do?" He asked.
Finley was pretty sure the sound of her swallowing was as loud as a gunshot in the quiet room. Her eyes locked with his. She saw genuine concern in them.
She told herself she really needed to get her mind out of the gutter. She was still sensitive in all the wrong places after her lusty shower spent thinking about Michail.
"No, I'm just nervous about tonight I guess." She forced herself to smile at him in the mirror.
Nikko reached out and massaged her shoulders. "You're definitely tense."
Finley was pretty sure she wasn't going to get any less tense with Nikko touching her like that, but she closed her eyes and tried to relax. A couple of minutes went by and she felt herself relaxing a little. Nikko and his magic hands were working wonders on her tense shoulders. He was skilled and efficient.
A few minutes later her muscles resembled melted butter. She felt him pull the towel off her head, and run a comb through her hair. It felt nice. She knew it should probably feel shockingly intimate, but it didn't. It just felt like he was doing his best to care for her, and ease her tension. Finley reluctantly opened her eyes. She was so relaxed, she felt like she could drift off to sleep.
Nikko rubbed the arnica gel on a couple of spots and then handed her the bottle.
"You should probably do the rest yourself. Finish getting ready and I'll meet you in my office. Shoes are in the bag."
Finley smiled at him. "Thank you."
"Any time love, any time." Nikko headed out.
Finley rubbed the arnica gel on the bruise on her thigh, and finished drying her hair. She planned to just swipe on some mascara and tinted lip gloss, but the dress was just so perfect it begged for more. She did full face make-up and styled her hair into a mass of curls that framed her face.
She pulled on the dress. It fit like a glove. The drape of the fabric accentuated her curves, while looking sophisticated. The dress hit just above her knees, and the color complimented her skin tone. The material felt like silk against her skin, but had enough give to allow for ease of movement. It was perfect. Nikko had outdone himself on this one. She found a pair of silver sandals in the bag and slipped them on. She looked at herself in the mirror, and told herself she would fit in just fine. That she belonged, at least her clothes did anyway. She figured if she told herself that enough times, she might actually believe it.
Nikko looked up when she got to his office. "You look stunning."
Finley grinned at him. "I really like the dress."
Nikko got up and walked around his desk. "It's not the dress that is stunning." He held out his arm to her. "Shall we?"
Finley hooked her arm through his and they headed to the elevator. By the time Nikko dropped her at the club, Finley was already dreading the evening again.
"Call me if you need a ride home." Nikko told her as he opened the door and helped her out.
"It's fine. I'm only a few blocks from the apartment." Finley promised herself she would stay a couple of hours, and then go home and treat herself to some ice cream. She figured that was a fair trade.
Nikko nodded. "Try and have fun." He leaned down and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
When Finley turned around, she saw Brock and Sara on the sidewalk watching. Sara was gawking at Nikko and Brock had a vaguely sour look on his face. Finley sighed. She wasn't even inside with a glass of wine and already the hell had started. At least wine would have made it more palatable and given her something to do with her mouth. Maybe if she was drinking, she wouldn't be quite so tempted to tell Brock and Sara what she thought about them.
Naturally Brock had picked the most expensive, exclusive place he could find that would remind everyone of his wealth and standing. Although, Finley had to admit it did have an impressive wine list. A wine list she was desperate to get her hands on about now.
Sara was one of those disingenuous types that always put people down through back-handed compliments. She really didn't like Sara. She was obnoxious and petty, and had the face of a horse, long with abnormally big teeth. Sara was lucky she came from money because her personality nor her looks would open any doors. Finley forced a smile on her face anyway.
Brock, was just a tool. He was always hitting on her and touching her, even though she had made it very clear that his advances were unwelcome and she was definitely not interested. He came from old money, and everything about him was soft and whiny. From his body to his voice. For some reason, he couldn't seem to understand why poor, stupid Finley wouldn't be flattered by the attention. He was the catch of the century. All you had to do was ask him, and he'd tell you all about it.
Sara's nasally voice reached her first. "Who was that?"
Finley kept the smile pasted on her face. "A friend."
"More like a sugar daddy, if he bought you that dress." Sara laughed. It reminded Finley of a honking goose.
Finley had no doubt the dress had cost a fortune, but Nikko was filthy rich, then again so was Declan. Finley knew all about money and power. She wasn't silly enough to think money wasn't important. She knew it was. It wasn't like Finley hadn't struggled with paying for her mother's care or making the rent. She knew money could buy a lot of things. She just didn't think it was the most important thing. She didn't need designer labels. She just needed to feel comfortable in her own skin, and right now, no matter how pretty or expensive the dress, she was just a fish out of water.
It irked her that Sara was implying the only reason a guy like Nikko would be interested in her is if he was paying for sex.
Finley steeled her spine. She just needed to make an appearance that was all. Besides the other two guys in the study group were decent. Smart and driven. Sometimes a little competitive, but Finley could respect that.
Finley liked the law; she just wasn't thrilled with some of the people. Still Finley wouldn't have traded this last year for anything. She had made the right decision.
She willed herself not to pull away when Brock put his hand on her back, and it slowly slid to the swell of her ass. It smelled like Brock had started his celebration earlier. He reeked of alcohol. Finley had a bad feeling staying away from Brock and his octopus hands would be more difficult than usual tonight. Her suspicions were confirmed when he leaned in and nuzzled the side of her face, and announced it was her lucky night because Brock planned to fuck her and fuck her good. Finley couldn't quite contain the eyeroll. Lucky me she thought. Finley was pretty sure she'd rather contract flesh-eating bacteria than let Brock touch her. She wondered if that shit actually worked on women. Finley just barely managed not to ask him that question out loud.
When they got to the table, Finley pulled away from Brock and sidestepped his grasping hands. Finley greeted Matt and Ryan, the other two members of her study group. They seemed pleased, if not a little surprised, to see her. Ryan was staring at her and stammering. Finley realized he'd probably never seen her in a dress with make-up on. It was cute. Although Sara was less than amused. Somehow Sara always thought she and Finley were in competition for attention. Finley would have been more than happy to let Sara win that one. She had no interest in any of the members of her study group, and she wasn't the kind of girl that measured her self-worth based on how much male attention she got. In fact, it usually just made her uncomfortable.
The sommelier came over and greeted Finley by name. All eyes were riveted on her as he presented her with a bottle of wine for her inspection. "Madam your bottle of 2015 E. Guigal Côte Rôtie La Landonne. Compliments of a member."
Finley smiled at him. "Thank you that will do nicely."
Finley didn't really know much about wine, but she did know by the look on Brock's face it was expensive.
"That's a two-thousand-dollar bottle of wine Finley. Who do you know at the club? Are you a member?" Brock's voice seemed almost strangled.
Finley just smiled at him. "Yes, it is one of my favorites. Would you care for a glass?" Finley didn't bother to answer the question about who she knew at the club, because honestly, she had no idea who had sent the wine. Probably Nikko but maybe Declan. Either or both were probably members. Discretion and privacy would be important to them, and this place afforded the members both.
Finley had no idea if it was one of her favorite wines or not. Declan usually chose the wine if they went out. He knew what she liked and what she didn't. It was one of those many things she preferred to just let him take care of, but that she should probably start to learn, if she wanted to be accepted by polite society. Maybe she spent too much time relying on Declan. She made a note to herself to start paying more attention and learning more about social etiquette, even if it didn't really interest her.
Whoever had chosen the wine had good taste. It was fabulous, although Finley had to admit she would have probably been just as happy with a thirty-dollar bottle of wine, if such a thing existed in this place. Excess for the sake of excess bothered her.
The celebration started off well enough, everyone talking about their favorite classes, worst professors and summer jobs.
About an hour in Finley's face was numb from fake smiling, and keeping Brock's hand off her leg and out of her crotch was becoming increasingly difficult. Frankly it was exhausting. He just couldn't take a hint. She excused herself to the ladies' room. She was relieved when Sara didn't follow her. She figured Sara wanted to take the opportunity to gossip about Finley behind her back. Most likely about Nikko, but almost any topic would do for Sara.
Finley took a couple of calming breaths. She vaguely wondered if she could just stay in the ladies' room forever. She really needed to get out of this stupid club. She should have never let Nikko talk her into coming. She couldn't take much more before she punched Brock in the face, and that wouldn't go well. Maybe she could feign a headache and beg off the rest of the evening. Yes, she thought. That sounded like a reasonable plan.
Mind made-up, Finley opened the door and stepped into the lounge area. Laser focused on getting the hell out of this stupid club, she didn't even notice a man lounging against the wall.
"You look bored tonight krasotka." Finley stopped and sucked in a sharp breath. She'd know that voice anywhere, yet she didn't dare turn around. She was afraid if she turned around, she would be wrong. That it wouldn't be Michail.
But what was Michail doing in the lounge? She felt him come up behind her. They were so close their bodies were skimming. She could feel the heat radiating off of him. She could feel that feral energy rolling off of him in waves. Finley was suspended. She couldn't move, breathe, think, or speak. She'd thought about this moment for a year, and now it was like her brain was in neutral.
"You look gorgeous." Michail's voice was like silk sliding over her skin sending a shiver throughout her body. Still, she remained motionless. Suspended.
She felt his lips kiss the top of her shoulder and she was lost. She leaned back against him and he wrapped his arms around her. She leaned her head back against his chest, closed her eyes, and exhaled a soft breath, almost like a sigh. She could breathe again. His delicious scent tickled her nostrils.
They stood that way for a moment, time suspended. Finley relished the feel of him. His broad, solid form wrapped around her. All his strength and power molded against her. He felt real, he felt right, he felt like what she had been missing. Finley had missed him for a year, and now he was here. He was really here in the flesh.
Finally, she turned to face him, and her heart gave a little flutter. He was as beautiful as ever. Beautiful and enthralling. Maybe even more so than she remembered. His breathtaking face framed by that long gorgeous dark hair that skimmed his broad shoulders. Those sculpted cheek bones and those perfect, wickedly sinful lips that she couldn't help but stare at. She knew those lush lips could be both soft and demanding. She wished he would just kiss her already. His dark eyes were soft as they roamed her face taking in every detail. Finley was pretty sure she would never get used to the visceral impact she felt when she looked at him.
There were a thousand things she wanted to say to him. A thousand things she wanted to ask him, but instead she just stared, drinking him in. Memorizing everything about him. Wondering if this would be the last time she ever saw him.
He reached up and put his hand behind her neck and pulled her close. He brushed a soft kiss across her lips. Just that whisper of a kiss, like the soft stroke of butterfly wings sent liquid fire racing through her veins. Clearly a year apart hadn't changed the effect he had on her. If anything, it had made it more profound. Something she didn't think was possible.
"I missed you, and I don't miss anybody." Michail leaned his head against her forehead. He sounded bewildered.
"I've thought about you. Wondered how you were." Finley whispered back.
It was true, if not an understatement. Finley had thought about him almost every day, at least once. Every time she looked up into the night sky, she wondered if Michail was looking up at the stars too. If he ever thought about her. Was he safe, was he happy?
A minute passed and they just stared at each other, suspended like neither of them could believe the other one was really there.
"Want to get out of here?" He asked her.
"Yes." Finley was pretty sure she'd never wanted anything more, even though she knew, when the sun came up the dream would be over.
"Krasotka, I need to be clear. I'm not offering you anything but tonight. Not right now." Michail blew out a harsh breath. "Probably never."
Finley gave him a sad smile. "Then I guess we had better make it a good night."